The MET++ Multimedia Application Framework

Keywords

multimedia, object-oriented application framework, time-synchronisation, 3D graphics, animations, audio, MIDI, video, hyperlinks

Description

The MET++ project addresses the design and implementation of a reusable multimedia framework. MET++ is an object-oriented application framework that supports the development of multimedia applications by providing reusable objects for 2D graphics, user interface components, 3D graphics, video, audio, and music. The collaboration between these objects is incorporated into a framework so that the class library builds a running application where the control flow, event dispatching, and message passing is preimplemented. MET++ manages the standard behaviour of a multimedia application such as time synchronisation and user interaction (file dialog, cut-copy-paste, multi-level undoable commands, etc.). A developper will customize the MET++ application framework by composing reusable objects, by building subclasses through inheritance, and by overwriting hook methods to add his specific functionality.

Release Announcement

A beta release of the MET++ Multimedia Application Framework is available via anonymous ftp. MET++ is implemented in C++ and runs on UNIX workstation.

Documentation

MET++ is documented in the book:
Philipp Ackermann: Developing Object-Oriented Multimedia Software - Based on the MET++ Application Framework; dpunkt Verlag, Heidelberg, 1996.
There exist also some MET++-relevant papers.

Sample Applications

The following sample applications are included in the distribution of the MET++ multimedia application framework in full source code:
1.) simple3D: An example of a 3D application realized with 30 lines of code
2.) geoid: An example of scientific visualization
3.) viewer: A 3D viewer that supports DXF and STL
4.) animwave: A simple simulation
5.) medit: A multimedia authoring tool
6.) mwrite: A hypertext editor used as online help system

More Information

Contact Philipp Ackermann, Dominik Eichelberg, or Bernhard Wagner at the MultiMedia laboratory of the University of Zurich or at Echtzeit-Perspectix AG.